AMOS BANCROFT. 121 



war. He also recently died at the age of eighty-two. The 

 fourth son, the subject of our present notice, was sent by his 

 father to Harvard University, where he was graduated in the 

 Class of 1 791. He afterwards studied medicine with Dr. 

 Oliver Prescott, of Groton, simultaneously attending the medi- 

 cal lectures delivered in Cambridge by Drs. Warren, Water- 

 house, and Dexter. Experience as an army surgeon in the 

 War of Independence had impressed on the mind of Dr. 

 Warren the importance of a knowledge of anatomy. He 

 founded the medical school, taking on himself the two most 

 difficult branches, anatomy and surgery. I say difficult, be- 

 cause the people demanded skill in surgery, and at the same 

 time were ready to stone to death any violation of the sanctuary 

 of the grave, however ignominious or vile had been the life of 

 the tenant. At this time was confided to young Bancroft 

 procuring a subject for dissection. He had recourse to the 

 gallows at Worcester, where had been hung a murderer and 

 parricide. Bancroft had marked the grave, and favored by 

 darkness cautiously proceeded to the spot, determined to 

 present an acceptable offering to science. While exhuming, 

 he learned he was watched. He fired from a pistol a blank 

 cartridge, frightened from the field the conscientious oppo- 

 nents of dissection, and conveyed to the eloquent professor 

 of anatomy the subject. Ever afterwards Dr. Bancroft had 

 the friendship of his teachers and of his medical brethren. 

 This parricide and murderer had first killed his own father, 

 and afterwards on the hypothesis of insanity, was delivered 

 over to the keeping of a humane deputy sheriff", who took 

 pity on him, and afterwards slew this humane interceder for 

 his life. The bones of Samuel Frost, the name of the 

 criminal, born in No Town, county of Worcester, have taught 

 osteology in the cabinet of Dr. Bancroft to not a few who 

 have since been useful members of the medical profession, 

 his pupils. Dr. Bancroft commenced the practice of medi- 

 cine at Westford, Massachusetts, and on the death of Dr. 

 Ward, of Weston, removed to that town, where he acquired 

 an extensive practice. In 181 1 an opportunity to purchase 

 an eligible farm in Groton, the residence of the accomplished 



